3 Orkney and Shetland Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) - The Strategy for Change

3.1 Introduction

Public Consultation
Two extensive public consultation processes were carried out in each island group as part of the BPEO decision-making process. The first sought local views on a number of strategic options relevant to each area, and the second on the Draft Area Waste Plan (AWP) itself. The Draft plan was formulated jointly by the two Waste Strategy Area Groups (WSAG). In Orkney, three strategic options were based on continued joint working through the energy recovery plant; continued joint working but with additional increased waste prevention and recycling; and development of a new local landfill for mixed waste (to avoid exporting waste to Shetland). The great majority of respondents were in favour of the second option. In Shetland, the options proposed took the form of a range of potential waste prevention, recycling and composting measures that could operate in parallel with the existing energy recovery plant. There was strong support for all those measures that would prevent waste at source, and increase the proportion composted and recycled, without threatening the performance and viability of the district-heating scheme. This concurred with the views of some WSAGs.

The other key finding in both island groups, which again concurred with the views of the WSAGs, was the desire to recycle more, both through segregated kerbside collections and improved access to facilities in remote areas. This was particularly the case in Orkney, where there are additional economic benefits associated with the reduced export of waste.

Other Key Local Considerations
The BPEO decision-making process was necessarily focused around the existing energy recovery facility in Lerwick. Both WSAGs recognised at an early stage in the process that this facility has a very important and highly valued local socio-economic function. The outcomes of the BPEO process were therefore required to maintain this function, while maximising the prevention of waste and recycling as far as practicably possible and economically justifiable.

The geographical fragmentation and remoteness of the islands, and their highly dispersed human populations, were also critical factors in determining the BPEO. These factors mean that waste collection and transport, for kerbside recycling in particular, are inevitably less practicable and more costly than elsewhere, and it is difficult to justify such schemes in the most remote areas on either economic or environmental grounds. For this reason kerbside recycling collections have been targeted at the more densely populated areas.

The Orkney and Shetland WSAGs were required to consider in detail SEPA's "Guidelines and approach to thermal treatment and energy from waste", and on this basis have agreed that source-segregation of recyclable wastes should form a key element of the BPEO. The islands have a strong track record of resource efficiency and the BPEO for MSW is intended to build on this. However, for the reasons outlined above it is unrealistic to target similar levels of recycling as would be expected on the mainland.

Full details of the key stages and criteria used in determining this BPEO are detailed in the Draft Orkney and Shetland Area Waste Plan 2002 (to obtain a copy refer to Annex 4). A summary of the BPEO process is on page 9.